Pentateuch

Home > ... > Philosophy and Religion > The Bible > Old Testament > ...

Essential reading Compare
side-by-side World Encyclopedia A Dictionary of the Bible The Columbia Encyclopedia, ...

Pentateuch

Pentateuch [Gr.,=five books], first five books of the Old Testament . In the Hebrew Bible these books are called the Torah .

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1E1-Pentateu" title="Facts and information about Pentateuch">Pentateuch</a>

Give this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"Pentateuch." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 9 Feb. 2010 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Pentateuch." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 9, 2010). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Pentateu.html

"Pentateuch." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved February 09, 2010 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Pentateu.html

Learn more about citation styles

Pentateuch

A Dictionary of the Bible | 1997 | | © A Dictionary of the Bible 1997, originally published by Oxford University Press 1997. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Pentateuch The first five books of the OT, traditionally ascribed to Moses, though by modern scholarship regarded as an editorial compilation of sources from different dates. The books are also known as the Law of Moses (‘Torah’ in Hebrew). The Samaritans held to these five books only as scripture, in their own edition.

The Pentateuch is the holiest part of the Bible for Jews; the Torah scroll is kept in a place of honour in synagogues. It is highly regarded by modern literary critics.

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O94-Pentateuch" title="Facts and information about Pentateuch">Pentateuch</a>

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

W. R. F. BROWNING. "Pentateuch." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 9 Feb. 2010 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

W. R. F. BROWNING. "Pentateuch." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (February 9, 2010). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-Pentateuch.html

W. R. F. BROWNING. "Pentateuch." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Retrieved February 09, 2010 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-Pentateuch.html

Learn more about citation styles

Pentateuch

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | © World Encyclopedia 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Pentateuch (Gk. Five scrolls) First five books of the Bible, traditionally attributed to Moses, and in Judaism referred to collectively as the Torah (Law). The Pentateuch comprises the five Old Testament books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Composed over a very long period (possibly 1000 years or more), they were probably collected in their present form during the Babylonian Captivity of the Jews during the 6th century bc.

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O142-Pentateuch" title="Facts and information about Pentateuch">Pentateuch</a>

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"Pentateuch." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 9 Feb. 2010 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Pentateuch." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 9, 2010). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Pentateuch.html

"Pentateuch." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 09, 2010 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Pentateuch.html

Learn more about citation styles

Related entries from encyclopedias, dictionaries and thesauruses

Rate these entries|See all related entries

Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Recalling a Story Once Told: An Intertextual Reading of the Psalter and the Pentateuch.(Book review) Magazine article from: Biblical Theology Bulletin; 9/22/2008
	The Art of Saint John's Bible.(The Art of Saint John's Bible: A Readers Guide to Pentateuch, Psalms, Gospels and Acts)(Brief article)(Book review) Newspaper article from: Internet Bookwatch; 10/1/2007
	The Saint John's Bible; v.1: Pentateuch.(Brief Article)(Book Review) Magazine article from: Reference & Research Book News; 5/1/2007

Facts and information from other sites

Related articles from newspapers, magazines, and more

	The Pentateuch: A Social-Science Commentary Magazine article from: The Catholic Biblical Quarterly; 10/1/2000; ; 700+ words ; JOHN VAN SETERS, The Pentateuch: A Social-Science Commentary...by-verse interpretation of the Pentateuch but examines pentateuchal texts...number of student guidebooks on the Pentateuch whose authors have confronted existing...
	Egypt on the Pentateuch's Ideological Map: Constructing Biblical Israel's Identity Magazine article from: The Catholic Biblical Quarterly; 7/1/2004; ; 700+ words ; F. V. GREIFENHAGEN, Egypt on the Pentateuch's Ideological Map: Constructing Biblical...to explore Egypt as a topos in the Pentateuch and "to inquire as to its particular...ideology embodied in the rhetoric of the Pentateuch" (p. 1). In the next three chapters...
	Book reviews -- The Pentateuch: An Introduction to the First Five Books of the Bible by Joseph Blenkinsopp Magazine article from: The Catholic Biblical Quarterly; 1/1/1996; ; 700+ words ; JOSEPH BLENKINSOPP, The Pentateuch: An Introduction to the First Five...exegetes about the main issues of the Pentateuch. It is against this background...surest foundation for a study of the Pentateuch seems to be the identification of...
	From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Introduction to the Main Themes of the Pentateuch Magazine article from: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society; 3/1/1999; ; 700+ words ; ...Introduction to the Main Themes of the Pentateuch. By T. Desmond Alexander. Carlisle...nature of Scripture. The topic is the Pentateuch and its key themes. From the author...address the compositional history of the Pentateuch. Alexander sets diachronic issues aside...
	The Pentateuch as Torah: New Models for Understanding Its Promulgation and Acceptance Magazine article from: The Catholic Biblical Quarterly; 10/1/2008; ; 700+ words ; ...BERNARD M. LEVINSON (eds.), The Pentateuch as Torah: New Models for Understanding...How, When, Where, and Why Did the Pentateuch Become the Torah" (pp. 1-19...Reflections on the Legal Status of the Pentateuch between Elephantine and Qumran" (pp...
	Eternal Covenant in the Pentateuch: The Contours of an Elusive Phrase Magazine article from: The Catholic Biblical Quarterly; 1/1/2010; ; 700+ words ; ...MASON, "Eternal Covenant" in the Pentateuch: The Contours of an Elusive Phrase...development of the covenant theology of the Pentateuch as a whole. M. argues that, although...of the Priestly contribution to the Pentateuch. The scholarly consensus is that "eternal...
	Exploring the Old Testament: A Guide to the Pentateuch Magazine article from: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society; 9/1/2005; ; 700+ words ; ...Exploring the Old Testament: A Guide to the Pentateuch. Vol. 1. By Gordon J. Wenham. Downers...light better suited to write on the Pentateuch in IVP's new Exploring the Old Testament...commentary nor a traditional survey of the Pentateuch, but a well-packaged compendium of...
	Recalling a Story Once Told: An Intertextual Reading of the Psalter and the Pentateuch.(Book review) Magazine article from: Biblical Theology Bulletin; 9/22/2008; ; 700+ words ; ...Intertextual Reading of the Psalter and the Pentateuch. By John S. Vassar. Macon, GA...core held in common by a people. The Pentateuch lies at the core of biblical texts...allude in one way or another to the Pentateuch. Recognition of the allusive character...
	Reading Law: The Rhetorical Shape of the Pentateuch Magazine article from: Journal of Biblical Literature; 7/1/2001; ; 700+ words ; ...Reading Law: The Rhetorical Shape of the Pentateuch, by James W. Watts. The Biblical...arrangement of literary genres in the Pentateuch has elicited many attempts to understand...this convention's influence on the Pentateuch, in Watts's view, is the Torah...
	Rethinking the Pentateuch: Prolegomena to the Theology of Ancient Israel Magazine article from: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society; 9/1/2006; ; 700+ words ; Rethinking the Pentateuch: Prolegomena to the Theology of Ancient...monograph indicates, Rethinking the Pentateuch takes aim at the long-held convictions...addressing the textual features of the Pentateuch, full-fledged alternative models...